Link to my graphic organizer: http://mywebspiration.com/go/59938
In doing this assignment, I decided to embrace the concept and created my graphic organizer online. Feel free to add or edit, or visit the download option to save a copy to your desktop.
I think the tools we use in distance learning should meet all the purposes that Garrison et proposed in his “community of inquiry,” where the community is made up of "three essential elements: cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence." (Garrison, Anderson, and Archer, 2000, p. 88) If each tool contributes to one of these three dimensions, than it should be successful.
I think the graphic organizer is one tool that is used by students at home, that can be successfully brought into a distance learning situation. The information that all users contribute to it makes up the cognitive presence. The shared editing features allow it to be used both as a social presence and a teaching presence since both students and the instructor can contribute to it or add notes as feedback. Using free software online such as mywebspiration allows users to create graphic organizers, share them, and their peers add to the organizer or offer feedback. The same functions are available for free through a variety of others sites. The benefit is increased feedback and communication, as well as another tool to foster interaction between students and faculty members. There are tools which allow simple written texts to also be shared and edited online in the same manner, using sites such as Writeboard or Buzzword by Adobe.
Instant messaging tools can also be used both as a means of knowledge sharing as communication, because it offers an easy and free (in most cases) way for students and faculty to interact in a synchronous environment. Tools like Skype allow users to meet online to discuss assignments, readings, or offer peer help. This particular IM tool also offers internet phone capabilities, which further increases communication and collaboration.
There are a number of tools to facilitate knowledge sharing in a distance learning situation. There are document sharing tools offered through the commonly used software for these classes, such as Blackboard or WebCT. However, there are a number of free services such as Google docs or Wikimedia that also allow users to share documents containing information. Most public libraries across the country are also adopting some form of a virtual library where registered users can access databases and even books online. All of which further facilitates knowledge sharing.
Garrison, D., T. Anderson, and W. Archer. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Retrieved on January 12, 2009 from http://communitiesofinquiry.com/files/Critical_Inquiry_model.pdf
Johnson, k., H. Trabelsi, & T. Tin. (2008) Library support for online
learners: e-resources, e-services and the human factors. Anderson, T. (Ed.). . The Theory and Practice of Online Learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.
Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies For Enhancing Student Interactivity In An Online Environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193.
Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning And Knowing In Networks: Changing Roles For Educators And Designers. ITForum.
Siemens, G. (2007). “George Siemens - Curatorial Teaching.” Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/10-minute-lecture-george-siemens-curatorial-teaching/
In doing this assignment, I decided to embrace the concept and created my graphic organizer online. Feel free to add or edit, or visit the download option to save a copy to your desktop.
I think the tools we use in distance learning should meet all the purposes that Garrison et proposed in his “community of inquiry,” where the community is made up of "three essential elements: cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence." (Garrison, Anderson, and Archer, 2000, p. 88) If each tool contributes to one of these three dimensions, than it should be successful.
I think the graphic organizer is one tool that is used by students at home, that can be successfully brought into a distance learning situation. The information that all users contribute to it makes up the cognitive presence. The shared editing features allow it to be used both as a social presence and a teaching presence since both students and the instructor can contribute to it or add notes as feedback. Using free software online such as mywebspiration allows users to create graphic organizers, share them, and their peers add to the organizer or offer feedback. The same functions are available for free through a variety of others sites. The benefit is increased feedback and communication, as well as another tool to foster interaction between students and faculty members. There are tools which allow simple written texts to also be shared and edited online in the same manner, using sites such as Writeboard or Buzzword by Adobe.
Instant messaging tools can also be used both as a means of knowledge sharing as communication, because it offers an easy and free (in most cases) way for students and faculty to interact in a synchronous environment. Tools like Skype allow users to meet online to discuss assignments, readings, or offer peer help. This particular IM tool also offers internet phone capabilities, which further increases communication and collaboration.
There are a number of tools to facilitate knowledge sharing in a distance learning situation. There are document sharing tools offered through the commonly used software for these classes, such as Blackboard or WebCT. However, there are a number of free services such as Google docs or Wikimedia that also allow users to share documents containing information. Most public libraries across the country are also adopting some form of a virtual library where registered users can access databases and even books online. All of which further facilitates knowledge sharing.
Garrison, D., T. Anderson, and W. Archer. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Retrieved on January 12, 2009 from http://communitiesofinquiry.com/files/Critical_Inquiry_model.pdf
Johnson, k., H. Trabelsi, & T. Tin. (2008) Library support for online
learners: e-resources, e-services and the human factors. Anderson, T. (Ed.). . The Theory and Practice of Online Learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.
Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies For Enhancing Student Interactivity In An Online Environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193.
Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning And Knowing In Networks: Changing Roles For Educators And Designers. ITForum.
Siemens, G. (2007). “George Siemens - Curatorial Teaching.” Retrieved on January 12, 2008 from http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/10-minute-lecture-george-siemens-curatorial-teaching/
5 comments:
I am in your 8442 class, but not in your group but was perusing around.
This is great! You obviously put a lot of time, effort, and thought into it. It seems very comprehensive, and really well constructed. If I was creating a DE course, I think I would grab it and use it!
The assignment did not specifically say to include the peers, the students, and the teacher into this graphic organizer. But your graphic organizer is so complete, I thought it would be nice to add them.
So maybe . . . the big balloon at the top can just be an external title and the insides of that balloon instead could be something like:
Peers-LEARNER-Teacher
denoting that the interactive relationship of these 3 generate the flow below it. I just happen to notice that our resources usually include "the learner" in graphic representations. Ah, it's just a thought.
Koh -- First let me thank you for the brilliant introduction to Webspiration. I designed a basic graphic organizer (I'm thinking I should reorganize it already though) for our assignment using the tool and enjoyed every minute of it. What a fun and portable way to create diagrams and concept maps! I very much like how you used a 3-tier structure in your organizer. Likewise, you provided some specific examples that I very much appreciate. I wonder whether blogs and wikis could fall under knowledge building as well as communications. Also, I think this assignment may have been more meaningful from a collaborative sense (it seems to fit the bill nicely) had the learning community groups worked together on a single graphical organizer. Is Dr. Moller looking? :) That is, a tool such as Webspiration would be selected then everyone would add to the diagram and move bits around as needed. Yet, I also see how it might be genuinely useful to see what everyone creates in this assignment.
Again, thanks for the introduction to the tool--that's a great find!
Shane.
Thanks. I happened across the myinspitation site because I left my school computer at work, which has regular inspiration on it, and we had a snow day. So this is what I ended up doing with my snow day because I had to find some program to do it in because I can't stand doing it in MS Word, it drives me crazy.
Hi Koh -- Agreed, the diagramming functionality of Word is not that useful. Actually, I find it aggravating at best. I just posted a note about the tool to my online classes so that they can share in the wealth of what this tool brings. As you can tell, I'm quite excited about this product. I will need to investigate the standard product version that you mentioned.
Shane.
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